Round 18 Transcript

As Jeane approaches the runes, her eyes widen in alarm. The dark energy emanating from Merrin's wound grows stronger, and the barrier field pulses with an otherworldly power. Halie yanks Merrin back from the gate, but the halfling's cry of pain echoes through the air. Elric attempts to intervene, only to find himself face-to-face with a skeletal guardian that has emerged from the shadows. The undead creature raises its bony hand, and Elric barely dodges the attack. Halie leaps into action, holding up her holy symbol as she summons a burst of sacred energy. The runes on the gate respond to Jeane's presence, their pulsing energy intensifying. The air is heavy with ancient magic, and Merrin's screams grow more desperate. A message on the gate's surface flickers to life, reading: "Shadow's grasp, darkness's key." The barrier field begins to close in around Merrin, pulling her toward the gate like a dark vortex.

I approach the runes carefully, maintaining distance from the gate itself. The stone feels cold beneath my boots—unnatural, ancient cold. I trace the symbols with my eyes, not my fingers yet; let them think I don't notice how they pulse in rhythm to Merrin's screams. "Stay back," I call over my shoulder. "Elric, Seraphine—I need a moment to read these without interference." The runes are alive, yes—breathing dark magic like some monstrous creature sleeping beneath the stones. They react to my presence with malevolent intent, but Merrin's wound is the focus. That dark energy flows toward it now, drawn like iron filings to a lodestone. Something shifts in the air—the barrier field intensifies around her leg, closing tighter. I pull out my spellbook—not for attack magic, gods no—but for wards and protections, something to push back this encroaching darkness before it consumes us all. The runes on the page seem to tremble as I flip through them, mirroring the ones carved into stone. "This isn't a simple lock," I mutter, more to myself than anyone else. "It's... aware. And Merrin..." My voice trails off as I see her stumble again, dark energy seeping from her wound like shadow given form. The cryptic warning message 'Shadow's grasp, darkness' key' pulses brighter with each beat of her pain. I need to understand what this thing wants before we blunder further into its trap. And I need Elric to explain why he never mentioned a living barrier field that feasts on injured adventurers.

I wince in pain as the dark energy pulses from my wound, drawing me inexorably toward the gate. "Elric!" I call out, my voice strained with urgency and fear. "What the hell is this thing? And what do you know about it?"

I grab Merrin by both shoulders and drag her back from the gate, ignoring her pained yelp—getting her absorbed is not happening on my watch. I turn to Elric, my voice sharp: "Explain this field NOW! And everything about this damn tower while you're at it!" The longer we stand here, the more certain I am that whatever happens next will be bad. Merrin needs help now—not later when Seraphine figures out how to crack the code or Jeane finds the right spell. I won't let anyone else get hurt because of some ancient curse or forgotten horror lurking inside this place. The air tastes wrong here, thick with something old and hungry. This isn't just a barrier—it's alive in some twisted way that makes my skin crawl and my holy symbol feel heavy in my hand. Seraphine, stop staring at those runes like they're going to offer tea and biscuits! Merrin's leg is oozing darkness, and I'm not about to stand here while she gets pulled inside like a magnet to rust. Somebody better start talking fast before this situation goes from bad to "we all die here." I keep my hand on Merrin's shoulder, ready to pull her back again if the field tries to reclaim her. Whatever happens next, it's going to require more than just standing around looking at ancient stones. We need a plan that doesn't involve sacrificing Merrin or dancing with demons—or worse, listening to Elric explain how this was all part of "the adventure" while we're being eaten alive by shadow magic.